The former Chesapeake state senator is a member of the N-double-A-C-P, and is making racial reconciliation a campaign theme.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 20:58:15+-]
[IN Q=It's about a]
((MARK EARLEY: IT'S ABOUT A PROMISE OF A VIRGINIA WHERE RACIAL RECONCILIATION IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE OF A REALITY AND IS BECOMING THE SHINING AND DISTINCTIVE JEWEL IN THE CROWN OF VIRGINIA WHERE IT ALL GOT STARTED 400 YEARS AGO.))
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=400 years ago.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Earley's in Roanoke today for the first stop in a two week bus trip to introduce his candidacy across Virginia.
(------------)

[7-Va-Governors]

The other Republican and the only Democrat running for governor are both betting their business experience will appeal to voters.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Republican John Hager will face Mark Earley in a spring convention, seeking the G-O-P nomination.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 28:56]
[IN Q=I guess it's ]
((LT. GOV. JOHN HAGER: I GUESS IT'S NO SECRET THAT I AM A CANDIDATE... HAVEN'T HAD A BUSINESSMAN FOR GOVERNOR SINCE 1954...THAT'S A LONG TIME.))
[SUPER=@Hager;]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=a long time.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Hager's a former tobacco executive.
Democrat Mark Warner earned his millions as a telecommunications pioneer, and now as a venture capitalist, investing money in other new businesses.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 23:01 ]
[IN Q=I don't]
((MARK WARNER/(D) CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR: I DON'T BELIEVE WE SHOULD BUILD A NEW ROAD... THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE A LARGE CONDUIT... REPAY PART OF THE COST OF THE ROAD.))
[SUPER=01-Mark Warner/(D) Candidate for Governor; ]
[RUNS=:27]
[OUT Q=of the road.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Warner hammered the Gilmore administration in an afternoon speech at Roanoke College.
He accused Gilmore of mismanaging V-DOT, a children's health insurance plan, and the severance package of a state agency head whose agency was under State Police investigation.
(------------)

[7-Narrows-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]
It took more than eight hours for Narrows firefighters to control an apartment fire that left two families homeless.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Narrows;]

The flames broke out around four yesterday morning in a back kitchen at the old Main Street building.
The fire gutted two upstairs apartments and damaged a small engine repair shop.
Both families who lived there escaped unharmed.
Firefighters had to collapse the roof to extinguish the flames.
They're still trying to determine the cause and damage costs.
(------------)

[7WEATHER]

Taking a break from the news to check weather--
Cloudy, with a chance of rain today.
Highs around 50.
[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Cloudy/Chance of Rain/45-50/Cloudy/Chance of Showers/30-35;]
[SUPER=#555;RESET]
[ESS C] (EXTENDED)

[45-County-Schools]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mce]
[TAPE#=00-43]
[GRAPHIC=Roanoke Co. Schools]
The Roanoke County school board has revamped its Early Retirement Incentive Plan, to the displeasure of hundreds of current and retired teachers.
Meredyth Censullo reports.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=This is the...]
[SUPER=01-Jerry Canada/School Board Chairman;:00]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;:20]
[SUPER=01-Barbara Dyer/Retired Teacher;1:35]
[Super=@Meredyth1;]
[RUNS=2:05]
[OUT Q=Censullo, News 7.]
(((///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=This is the...]
((THIS IS THE RESULT OF SEVERAL HOURS OF NUMBER CRUNCHING AND SOME SOUL SEARCHING TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING THAT IS STILL VALUED BY YOU...))
[RUNS= :18]
[OUT Q=by you.]

The school board says they decided revamp the Early Retirement plan, because changing federal guidelines would've forced them to anyway.
That excuse isn't satisfying some teachers.
Under the current Early Retirement Incentive Plan, a county teacher with 10 years experience in the system can retire at 55 - receiving 30-percent of their salary for 7 years, provided they work 20-24 days a year .. Teachers aged 56-62 earn 20-percent a year.
All the retirees are enrolled in the school division's health insurance program.
The New Plan for Current Retirees would pay 30-percent salary to all participants 55 and older for 5 years.. But it caps health insurance benefits at 25-hundred dollars for five years.
Future Retirees would be eligible for 20-percent of their salary for 5 years...Their health insurance would be capped at 25-hundred dollars.
The changes mean teachers who are currently taking part in the Early Retirement program will have their pay cut after five years, although they'll keep their insurance benefits the full seven years.
Many teachers say the changes will lead a number of their colleagues to return to the classroom...
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=They basically...]
((THEY BASICALLY CAN'T AFFORD TO NOT DO IT..THEY CAN'T LIVE ON WHAT THE VIRGINIA RETIREMENT IS OFFERING...UNTIL THEY GET TO SOCIAL SECURITY AGE WHICH IS 62.))
[RUNS= :12]
[OUT Q=is 62.]
MEREDYTH CENSULLO: The school board is giving retired teachers until January 15th to decide if they'll return to teaching full time....But then, the question is, will they be required to teach another 10 years before retiring a second time?
That question will be decided by the school board next month. Meredyth Censullo. News7.))

[45WEATHER]

Let's shift gears now to weather--
The mid-week forecast includes cloudy skies and a chance of rain today.
Highs in the upper 40s.
[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Cloudy/Chance of Rain/45-50/Cloudy/Chance of Showers/30-35;]
[SUPER=#555;RESET]
[ESS C] (EXTENDED)

[8-Franklin-Dog]

We caution you-- This next story contains some graphic video.
Investigators believe a dog was tortured to death in Franklin County.
They're warning pet owners to watch their animals.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.;]
This purebred deerhound was found on a neighbor's property in the rural Redwood community yesterday morning.
Her owner, Jeffrey Davis, keeps several hunting dogs here even though he lives at Smith Mountain Lake.
Davis says he thinks his dog was hit by a car then dragged into the yard by another animal.
But investigators say she was mutilated.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 12:09:14]
[IN Q=I see a dog]
((TAMMY JAVIER/INVESTIGATOR: I SEE A DOG OBVIOUSLY SKINNED. WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE WHETHER IT WAS BEFORE OR AFTER THE DOG'S DEATH.))
[SUPER=01-Tammy Javier/Investigator;]
[RUNS=:06]
[OUT Q=after its death.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Autopsy results show a blunt trauma to the left side killed the dog.
Investigators say people should keep their pets inside when they cannot watch them.
(------------)

[8-Bookstores]

A new Barnes and Noble bookstore in the Hill City isn't intimidating the smaller booksellers.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Shoppers did pack the store during its grand opening last week.
Besides books, Barnes & Noble also offers a music department, children's playroom and coffee from Starbucks.
But the independent dealers say they've found a niche market that the big guys don't fill.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 12:41:12]
[IN Q=If you want]
((WALT CAREY/BOOKSHOP ON THE AVENUE: IF YOU WANT TO STAY ALIVE YOU BETTER FIND YOUR OWN SPECIAL NICHE BECAUSE THERE'LL BE SOMEBODY ELSE TO COME IN WANTING TO FILL YOUR NICHE IF YOU DON'T WATCH OUT.))
[SUPER=01-Walt Carey/Bookshop On The Avenue; ]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=don't watch out.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Barnes & Noble officials say there are enough book lovers in Lynchburg to keep everyone in business.
(------------)

[8-Thermal-Imaging]

Roanoke county firefighters have a new tool to make it easier for them to see through thick smoke, and hopefully, save more lives.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

The department demonstrated its new thermal imaging camera at the Roanoke Valley Regional Training Center.
The device detects infrared radiation. Even in thick smoke firefighters can "see" where the blaze is burning, and where victims may be located.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 06:20:53]
[IN Q=The main benefit]
((THE MAIN BENEFIT WILL BE IT WILL ALLOW FIREFIGHTERS TO SEE IN AN ENVIRONMENT TO SEE WHERE THEY'RE NOT USED TO. IT WILL CUT OUR SEARCH TIME IN HALF IF NOT MORE THAN THAT, BY 75 PERCENT.))
[SUPER=01-Steve Poff/Battalion Chief;]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=by 75 percent.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Initially, Roanoke County plans to put one of the cameras on each of its ladder trucks... and fire officials are hopeful businesses and civic groups will help with that effort.
(------------)

[8WEATHER]

Taking a break from the news now to check the forecast--
Cloudy with a chance of rain.
Highs in the upper 40s to near 50.
[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Cloudy/Chance of Rain/45-50/Cloudy/Chance of Showers/30-35;]
[SUPER=#555;RESET]
[ESS C] (EXTENDED)